Death of a King
by RetardedFish
Summary: What happened when Edge's parents died? (Warning: pretty bad story up ahead, haven't written in forever)


The Death of a King

The door opened with a smooth whir. Cecil, Kain, and Edge were used to days of traveling, battling, and traveling some more; they'd spent years training to become protectors of their respective nations. Rosa and Rydia, though physically fit, were already worn out beyond their limits. They'd rested earlier, but it wasn't enough to regain their strengths.

Nor was it enough to prepare anyone for what would happen next.

They walked cautiously across a large platform, noting the heavy tension in the air as if a very elephant were in the room. As they reached the middle, a handsome man and a gorgeous woman stepped from the shadows. Everyone save for Edge stopped in their tracks, hands on their weapons and ready to fight. His eyes widened and seemed more alive than any of his companions had ever seen.

"Edge..." whispered the man as Edge ran to the couple. The group took a more relaxed stance once they saw him laugh in relief.

"Father! Mother!" He exclaimed, a bright smile framed his face. Rydia sighed, feeling relief for the ninja. _They're alive..._

"Thank goodness you're alive!" The Queen of Eblan said, wrapping her arms tightly around her tall son. Edge squeezed her back for a long time, making everyone smile except for Cecil. Cecil frowned, gaining a sense of deja vu as he noted a familiar odor in the air. The queen let go of Edge hesitantly, but held onto his hand.

"And you!" he said. She smiled softly at him.

"Come with us, Edge." Her face changed, and with it, her entire demeanor. Edge subconsciously stepped back.

"Yes, come with us..," the King of Eblan spoke up. Cecil tensed suddenly. _Something stinks..._Palom says in his head.

"With you? Where?" Edge asked, raising an eyebrow. The queen grasped his wrist and launched him towards the king; Edge stumbled; he quickly pulled out his blade and swung it in front of him. The kitana met the king's metal gauntlet and almost bounced back towards the prince's face.

_You would expect him to try a little harder to fool us, wouldn't you?_ Baigan's monstrous face flashed in Cecil's head as he heard Porom's reply. He broke out into a sprint and pulled his sword out of its scabbard. Edge swallowed a scream as the king leaned forward, his green eyes changing to black, skin turning a leathery purple. The queen's nails grew larger, cutting into Edge's wrist. Her face started to disfigure as well.

"To Hell!" She spat out in a deeper voice. Edge twisted his arm around rapidly, tearing himself away from the woman who raised him. His heart sank at the sound of his mother's monstrous screech, and Cecil's warning of "Edge, watch out!" was swallowed by the horrible sound. Kain took a running start and leapt into the air. Rosa and Rydia began chanting simultaneously and Cecil's sword met the king's shoulder, slicing cleanly through and he jumped back immediately. Edge threw himself back into safety as well, fazed. For a moment he couldn't react, only take in the twisted creations of chimera which used to be his parents.

-

_It was a hot day in Eblan, the heat smoldering within the training rooms. Edge gasped for air, sweat dripping from his brow._

_"Dammit Edge try again!" The king growled. He threw Edge another dagger. Edge caught it, and leaned down into a predator stance._ _He was frustrated; lessons with his father were always difficult and long._ _He was worn and exhausted, but he wasn't ready to give up just yet._

_"But this time..." The king bent as well. "at least hit me." Edge glared, and hurled himself at the king with an angry cry._

-

"Edge! We need you to fight! They're too fast!" Cecil called out, bringing Edge back into reality. He shook his head, catching Rydia's eye. She winced and looked away from him as she sent shards of ice towards queen, who was slithering towards Rosa rapidly. Rosa backpedaled, curing Kain as the king sent a Fire spell at the falling dragoon. The queen changed directions and wrapped her tail around Rydia's waist, slamming her into the ground. Kain impaled the king's thigh, green blood splattering his face. The king grabbed the spear before Kain could take it out, and threw a punch which made him fly back. He pulled the spear out and threw it behind him, smiling sadistically at Cecil. Cecil raised his arms and steadied his sword before sprinting and slashing again, this time at the king's chest.

Edge hesitantly threw a shuriken at his mother, hitting her tail and almost dismembering it. She shrieked and let go of Rydia, who fell to the ground holding her sides and coughing up blood. Edge dropped a potion near her and sped across the platform, sliding under his father's outstretched arm and lifting Kain's spear. He flung it at Kain, who caught it with one hand and jumped back into the air. The king caught up to Edge and barreled his elbow into his son's back. Edge flew forward but managed to turn his body in midair and used the momentum to swing his kitanas at his father's head. He faltered at the last second, creating the chance for his father to dodge and grasp his son's cloak.

"You wish for death? Then allow me speed you on your way!" He growled, gritting his teeth. His arm pulled back, but Edge banged the fist that held him in place with the hilt of his sword. The king let him go almost immediately with a growl. Edge back flipped away from the king, holding his back.

"What's happened to you? Mother! Father!" He shouted over the clangs of metal on armor. The queen hissed and narrowed her eyes before soaring through the air, towards Edge. Edge's face distorted into one of pain. He sliced his mother's underbelly. "It's me! Your son!" But they wouldn't listen. Tears dropped from Rydia's eyes as she sent a Thunder spell towards the king, trying to tune out Edge's heart-wrenching pleas.

-

_"You think I'm going to treat you any better because you're my son? Stop fighting like a girl, and hit me!" The king tossed yet another dagger at Edge. Edge groaned angrily. They'd spent all morning and afternoon now sparring, over and over. Edge couldn't hit his father. He could hardly move now. At least the chilly night air was beginning to settle in and cool down his muscles._

_"Prove to me that you deserve to rule on my throne one day! That you are righteous Prince of Eblan!" The king was merciless. His son had to learn to defeat him in battle. After all, he was the best ninja in all of Eblan. The only person suited to become the ruler had to defeat him. An adrenaline kicked into Edge. If he wasn't able to defeat him, who knew what punishment he'd face tomorrow?_

_He ran towards the king, but decided not to follow the moves which his father had so meticulously taught him. Instead of doing any of the things he had been trying for hours, he jumped into the air and landed on the king's shoulders. The king threw his hands up, clutching fistfuls of Edge's loose pants. Edge rolled on the balls of his feet, and pushed himself off his father. He landed five feet away and watched as his father fell face first onto the ground from being used as a springboard. He was trusting his instincts now, ignoring the blood that flowed from his father's nose as he lifted himself. Edge tackled the king as soon as he was up. They both fell on the ground, Edge holding the dagger to his father's neck. Blood started to ooze from the nick he made as he lightly slid the sharp weapon across his father's throat._

_"You're dead." Edge barely managed to whisper to his father. He could hardly contain his heart from bouncing out of his chest. He had beaten him! The king smiled at Edge. _

_"Good," he said, wiping the blood away with his sleeve. "You keep proving yourself worthy of my throne, okay?"_

_Edge nodded and hoisted himself off of his father._ _His father ruffled his messy hair, and Edge smiled back at him._

-

It seemed that the king was ready to fight Edge once more. He dropped icicles over Edge's head, and Edge easily leapt out of the way. Edge knew what he had to do; he crouched down into a predatory stance, and watched as his father did the same. _He_ _remembers the first time I defeated him in a spar._

Cecil noticed that Edge was focusing on taking the king head on and turned his attention towards the queen. The queen glared at Cecil, lunging at him at the same time that Cecil did. Rosa cast a Cure spell over everyone, beautiful orbs of light spreading about and clearing dirty skin of cuts and burns. Rydia snapped her whip around the queen's head and pulled back, giving Cecil a chance to kill her. The queen was too fast, however; she whipped her tail at Cecil, causing his sword to waver and knock down her crown. Kain flew back into battle, piercing the queen's chest, but narrowly missing her heart. Rydia's whip flew out of her hand and onto the floor as the queen snapped her head back.

Edge ran towards his father, and the king dug his toes deeper into the platform. He swung a kitana at his father's abdomen, but the king easily knocked it out of the way, ignoring the blood that dripped down his arm. Edge swung the other one; his father took his wrist mid-swing and squeezed it. Edge cried out and fell to his knees as his wrist made snapping sounds. He dropped the sword. The king used his other hand to pick up the fallen sword, placing it under Edge's neck.

-

_It was pitch black on the roof of the castle, but neither king nor prince cared much for it._

_"I want you to know, Edge," the king started. Edge looked up at his father, mildly surprised at the sudden end of silence._

_"Yes, Father?" he asked. The king looked back up at the beautiful desert moons._

_"Being king...is difficult work. You must sacrifice a lot to be king. You must train to become the best, to make sure no one will want to overpower you," he said._

_"I understand," Edge said, looking up as well._

_"But that's not the only thing that makes a great king. A king must be loyal, just, willing to do anything for the sake of his people. He must be willing to throw away what he loves the most if it means that his subjects will live a better life, should it come to that." Edge waited for his father to continue._

_"You are strong enough to defeat any ninja here. But I will not allow you to rule until you share the same wisdom of what it takes to be a king that I do. Understand?" he asked sternly._

_"Yes, Father," Edge said._

-

"You'll die now," the king said as he smiled. Edge didn't move; he could only stare at his father. Was this how his life was going to end?

"Blizzard!" Rydia's voice called behind him, and frost covered the back of his head as his father took most of the damage.

Suddenly, a sound like glass shattering resonated throughout the room. The king and queen regained human colors, but remained in the same sickening forms. The king wiped away the ice from his face, dropping Edge's blade on the floor, the clatter the only noise in the now silent room. Edge lowered his eyes, not wanting to see the pain reflected in the king's eyes.

"Edge...Hear me while I can speak. What we are...has no right to live," the king said quietly. Edge didn't answer, and the king sighed.

"We must depart now...Before the madness takes us again. Serve Eblan well, son," he whispered the last part. Edge's head snapped up. The king nodded, and without words he told Edge that he had his approval to become king. Edge's heart started beating faster, and reality struck him hard as he knew he wasn't anywhere near ready to become king. He was still too immature, too unwise. A panic settled in Edge.

"No! Don't go!" Edge managed to cry out, but his father swiftly picked up the blade and slit his throat inches away from his son, Edge's face became covered in the thick, cold blood. The king's body started to disintegrate, eventually reaching his watery eyes. They were proud and hopeful, and a tear managed to drop before they vanished as well.

"Farewell, Edge," his mother called out from behind him. Edge jumped up and whirled around, a look of agony rarely seen on anyone's countenance. She gripped Kain's spear with her tail, and quickly shifted it into her heart.

"Mother! Wait!" He shouted, his mother's tail disintegrating. He ran to her, arms outstretched, but as he reached her she was almost completely gone, her reassuring, sad smile disappearing last.

"Don't go..." Edge's voice broke.__

_**A/N: **_I haven't written in so long, this is to get me back into writing. So sorry, I'm not apologizing for this, or how bad it turned out.


End file.
